Telecommunications test system including a test and trouble shooting expert system

ABSTRACT

A telecommunication test system for a line to be tested includes a test measurement device coupling with the line. The test measurement device determines parameter measurement data from the line. A processor receives the parameter measurement data. A first communication path between the test measurement device and the processor transmits the parameter measurement data. The first communication path is a wireless path. A mobile facility communicates with the processor. The communications are via a second communication path which includes a primary wireless path and a back-up wireline path. A central office and a data test place various signals on the line being tested. A third communication path between the mobile facility and at least one of the central office and the data test center is provided. The third communication path includes a primary wireless path and a back-up wireline path.

REFERENCE TO MICROFICHE APPENDIX

This application references a microfiche appendix having one microfichewith a total of seventy-eight frames.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to the field of telecommunication testing and,more particularly, to a portable telecommunications test system allowingfor remote and simplified operation by a technician.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Existing dispatch, testing and conditioning systems for thetelecommunications field, such as for telephone systems and the like,operate according to known methods and procedures. For example, when asubscriber or customer initiates a service call via a call to anautomated repair service bureau, the administrator at the repair servicebureau confirms the reported trouble and generates a trouble report ortrouble ticket. Through the use of loop management operation systems,using flow through procedures, a technician, along with his vehicle, canbe automatically dispatched to the proper location using a craft accesssystem (CAS) or a technician access network (TAN) in order to servicethe trouble report.

When this occurs, the dispatched technician is supplied with narrativesindicating the type of trouble reported and detected, as well ascustomer information relative to the dispatch. The technician must beable to interpret the problem and identify the proper course of actionin order to correct the trouble. In order to correct the trouble, thefollowing steps are followed. Using CAS/TAN, the technician requestson-demand tests and conditions from a central office location. Thecentral office location, via a line conditioning device, can thenprovide various test conditions over the telecommunications line to betested, i.e., the "line under test". The technician must furthercoordinate the testing of the line with the proper portable testequipment or test head and ensure that correct test sequences are issuedfor the test head.

In the field of telecommunications testing, it has heretofore been knownto provide an expensive and complicated test head for physicallycoupling with the line under test. The technician physically connectsthe known test head to the telecommunications line. These known testheads include various electronic circuits for coupling with the lineunder test, as well as a computer hard-wired thereto. The computerallows the technician to perform various tests on the line.

It is a major disadvantage of these known systems that the technicianmust conduct the tests on the line at the location where the test headcouples to the line. In view of the test head being physically connectedwith a line at oftentimes difficult or barely accessible locations, thetechnician incurs added labor time in trying to conduct the tests viathe hardwired computer. Further, the technician is physically limited bythe placement of the test head such that increased stress results due tothe awkward postures which must be maintained. This often leads to backinjuries and the like.

Further, the known systems allow only a limited number of testingapplications to be performed in view of the limited capabilities of thetest head. Still further, labor costs for customer service are increaseddue to the time required for the technician to set up the test head onthe line. Also, the expensive cost of the known test heads increase thecustomer service costs. Even further, the testing applications that canbe carried out with known test heads are limited because of the size ofthe computer integrated with the test head, as well as because of theaccessibility of changing the software programs stored therein.

All of the above disadvantages are amplified in view of the tremendouscompetition in the telecommunications industry, wherein continuousreductions in the work force are leading to longer delays in customerservice as well as a lessening of the quality and education of thetechnicians that are available.

Not only is it difficult for the technician to use the known test heads,the technician is also required to have a substantial knowledge ofever-changing subscriber loop and other support systems in order tocarry out various tests on the line. Without this knowledge, techniciansoften attempt ineffective solutions to the trouble report such as theswapping of line cards, cutting to clear, etc, when other, less drastic,solutions are available.

Another disadvantage with the known methods and procedures is thatinadequately trained technicians may not be able to solve a customer'strouble in the allotted time frame. This can further have a side effecton other allotted time frames since the technician may require theassistance of other dispatched technicians, thus decreasing the overallefficiency of the dispatch testing and conditioning network oftechnicians.

There is therefore needed a user friendly portable telecommunicationstest and trouble shooting expert system which overcomes the abovedisadvantages. The trouble shooting expert system must efficientlyaddress the customer's troubles while meeting the needs of an efficientwork force within the telecommunications industry.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention meets these needs by providing a portabletelecommunications test system using a generic test head for coupling toa line under test as well as a non-integrated hand-held personalcomputer in communication with the test head. The hand-held personalcomputer communicates with the generic test head in a wireless fashion.This allows the technician to have increased mobility at the customertest site. Further, by incorporating the intelligence of the test headin the hand-held personal computer, a low cost, portable testmeasurement device, i.e., the test head, can be used. Thus, it is alsopossible in preferred embodiments to permanently install the test headat a customer site such that it can be operated via a remote site usingthe hand-held personal computer.

It is a further advantage of the present invention that the hand-heldpersonal computer allows for easy software upgradability and futureexpansion of the testing system.

The present invention also provides for a user friendly, dispatch, testand trouble shooting expert system operable via the hand-held personalcomputer. This allows for complete and expedient testing of the customersite than was previously possible via a lower skilled technician,without requiring extensive training. The application software operableon the hand-held personal computer provides the technician with an easy,step by step, procedure to perform various tests on the line.

The application software further allows the technician's hand-heldpersonal computer to interact with all types of existing operationalsupport systems as well as providing a platform for future informationexchanges. The application software provides an icon-based, userfriendly graphics interface for the technician using the hand-heldpersonal computer.

Other objects, advantages and novel features of the present inventionwill become apparent from the following detailed description of theinvention when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a schematic block diagram representation of a wirelessportable telecommunications testing system in accordance with thepresent invention;

FIG. 2 is a schematic block diagram of a preferred embodiment of aportable telecommunications testing system according to the presentinvention; and

FIGS. 3-15 are screen representations indicating the data flow inaccordance with the application software of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Referring to the schematic block diagram of FIG. 1 illustrating aportable telecommunications test system according to the presentinvention, a portable, remote test measurement device 10, i.e., a testhead, is provided. The test head 10 can be coupled to a line under testsuch as a fiber optic line 12 or twisted copper tip/ring and groundconductors 14. The test head 10 determines various parametermeasurements on the line under test 12, 14. The parameter measurementsfrom the test head 10 are communicated to a portable personal computer16. The personal computer 16, in a preferred embodiment, can be ahand-held personal computer such as the Newton™ manufactured by AppleCorporation. The personal computer 16 communicates with the test head 10via a wireless signal 18. For example, the wireless signal 18 can be ofa spread spectrum or infrared type of transmission signal.

The hand-held personal computer 16 receives the raw measured data fromthe test head 10 and operates on the data to convert the measurementresults into usable parameter information. This usable parameterinformation is then transmitted, also via a wireless signal 20, to aline conditioning device 22 or an automated test equipment device 24located in a central office 26. As shown in FIG. 1, the wirelesstransmission can be, for example, an analog cellular transmission via acell 21 or a digital personal communications transmission (not shown).In a preferred embodiment as will be described with respect to FIG. 2,wireless communications can also be made with a data center for accessto outside support systems such as those that have been developed byAT&T.

In the central office 26, the line conditioning device 22, whichreceives the information and directions from the hand-held personalcomputer 16 via DTMF commands, responds to the hand-held personalcomputer 16 with synthesized voice through a voice responsive system bydialing the telephone circuit or line under test 12, 14. It is alsopossible to use a modem 27 by which the line conditioning device 22receives the information and directions from the hand-held personalcomputer 16. The line conditioning device 22 then places different testconditions onto the line under test 12, 14 such as, for example, opens,shorts, tones, quiet terminations, etc. The line conditioning device 22operates at the direction of the hand-held personal computer 16. Oneexample of a line conditioning device is the direct access test unit(DATU) product manufactured by Harris Corporation and described in U.S.Pat. Nos. 4,670,898 and 4,841,560, the specifications of which arehereby incorporated by reference herein.

A low cost, generic test head 10 can include a number of plug-in cardsfor coupling with various lines to be tested. For example, the followingplug-in cards can be used in the test head 10: an analog telephonecircuit card 30; an analog PL/SS card 32; a digital card 34 for couplingwith high speed digital circuits such as T1, E1, fractional T1, etc.; afiber optic card 36 for coupling with a fiber optic line such as line 12in FIG. 1; an ISDN "U" interface card 38 for coupling with an ISDN line;a community access TV (CATV) card 40 for coupling with a CATVtransmission; and an optical loop carrier/digital loop carrier card 42.In alternative embodiments, the plug-in cards 30-42 can take the form ofsoftware or hardware added to the hand-held PC 16 or the test head 10.

As also shown in FIG. 1, a voice activated, wireless headset 44 can beused by the technician for wireless communications with the hand-held PC16. The wireless headset 44 can be used with the hand-held PC 16 andtest head 10 to run automated tests via the voice response system, withan audio go/no-go indication of the test results being provided to thetechnician.

In the event of a customer service request, the portabletelecommunications test system of the present invention is operated asfollows. A technician dispatched to the test site physically couples thetest head 10 to the line under test, such as fiber optic line 12 ortwisted copper lines 14. As noted above, the test head 10 can connect tovarious transmission media via the use of specific plug-in cards.Through the use of the plug-in cards 30-42, the test head 10 can be usedto test regular telephones or special service analog/digital telephonecircuits, high-speed digital circuits such as T1, E1, fractional T1 andthe like, video circuits such as CATV, ADSL, HDSL, video dial-tone, etc.

Once the test head 10 is coupled to the line under test, the technicianuses the hand-held PC 16 to establish communications with the test head10 via a wireless signal such as a spread spectrum or infrared typelink. The hand-held PC 16 then communicates with the central office'sline conditioning device 22 via a wireless transmission such as ananalog cellular telephone or digital personal computer system. Thehand-held PC 16 can then be used to direct the line conditioning device22 to place different test conditions onto the line under test. Thesetest conditions can be, for example, shorts, opens, quiet terminations,tones, etc.

The test head 10 then measures the different conditions placed on theline under test via the hand-held personal computer 16. The results fromthe test head 10 are wirelessly transmitted to the hand-held personalcomputer 16.

The hand-held personal computer 16 then takes the raw data transmittedfrom the test head 10 and processes the data into usable information.Based upon the results of the processed information, the hand-held PC 16can direct the line conditioning device 22 to place different conditionsonto the line under test. This cycle continues until the line has beencompletely tested.

Referring to FIG. 2, there is shown a preferred embodiment of a portabletelecommunications test system. A test head 10 is coupled with a lineunder test 13 from a central office 26. The test head 10 communicateswith a hand-held personal computer 16. The test head 10 performs alldata acquisition on demand from the personal computer 16. This includesfunctional tests such as capacitive and resistive fault location, noisetests, loss, transmission, TDR, etc. The test head 10 and hand-heldpersonal computer 16, as noted above with respect to FIG. 1, areexpandable through the use of plug-in cards and software programs forcoupling with various lines such as fiber optic lines and coaxialcables.

The hand-held personal computer 16 communicates with a technician'svehicle 50 which can forward the directions from the personal computer16 to the central office 26 or to a data center 61. These communicationscan occur in a wireless fashion 59 as was discussed above with respectto FIG. 1, or via a back-up wired line 69 (shown in a dashed manner)depending upon the situation.

Inside the technician's vehicle 50, there is located a charge holder 52,printer 54, a long haul wireless interface 56 and a network server 58.The charge holder 52 operates to provide power for the test system. Theprinter 54 is available to print out various test results or otherinformation. The interface 56 provides a short-haul wireless gateway tolong haul wireless services, i.e., from spread spectrum transmissions toRAMS, ARDIS, COPD, cellular, CDMA, etc. The network server 58 providesadditional processing power and electronic storage. The server 58 canalso perform on demand from the hand-held PC 16 storage and batch moderequests for network schematics.

Within the central office 26, there is located the central office switch53, central office test devices 55, and a line conditioning device suchas the DATU line conditioning device 57 produced by Harris-Corporation.

The central office test devices 55 can provide an interface with variousoperational support systems such as a vehicle dispatch 58, outside plantrecord database 60, automated testing systems 62 such as MLT, ALIT,SASS, etc., and electronic network schematics 64. These other supportsystems form the data center 61. For example, the SASS system provides atelephone ring back apparatus for use by the technician. The SASS systemis described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,764,949 assigned to Harris Corporation.

The portable telecommunications test system according to the presentinvention essentially is a local area network wherein the personalcomputer 16 is the client and the elements within the technician's van50 and the portable test gear 10 are the servers.

The personal computer 16 provides a user friendly interface to thetechnician through the use of icons. The personal computer 16 isresponsible for communications, information management and test sequenceorchestration for the test system. With respect to the communications,in a preferred embodiment, the personal computer 16 uses short haulwireless signals in order to communicate with the portable test head 10and the technician van 50. A wireline back-up modem can also beprovided. The personal computer 16 can interface with other supportsystems such as the outside plant record database, the automated testingsystems, the electronic network schematics, as well as the DATU productdiscussed above.

In accordance with the application software, the personal computer 16fully integrates the dispatch system information to automate subsequentrequests to the other support systems for information and testing. Theapplication software further extends the information integration toallow automated trouble shooting based on dispatch and reactionaltesting. The personal computer 16 also orchestrares the test sequencefor the line under test 13.

The operation of the personal computer 16 through the use of theapplication software will be described below with reference to FIGS.3-15, wherein the data flow is discussed with reference to the userfriendly graphic screens of the personal computer 16. A complete copy ofthe application software, in a source code format, is attached as amicrofiche appendix.

With reference to FIG. 3, once the technician has coupled the test head10 to the line under test, the application software operating on thehand-held personal computer 16 queries the technician to select afunction for evaluating the telecommunications line. These functionsinclude, for example, a work order manager 60, DATU 62, MLT 64, meter66, display time sheet 68, and a configuration function 70. Theapplication software provides for the use of easily selectable icons62-70 for the technician to select the appropriate function.

If the technician selects the work order manager 60, then, referring toFIG. 4, the application software provides a user friendly interface tothe technician in order that the technician may choose to: get a workorder 72, process a work order 74, close a work order 76, or perform amail function 78.

Referring to FIG. 5, there is shown the application software display fora work order selected in accordance with FIG. 4. The work order referredto in FIG. 5 allows the technician to select from among various piecesof information such as customer information, trouble reports, previoustrouble history, etc. If the technician desires the customerinformation, for example, then the application software provides suchinformation as shown in the display of FIG. 6. Similarly, FIG. 7displays the trouble report information if selected by the technician.FIGS. 8 and 9 display the previous trouble history and thecommitment/dispatch data and time selections. As can be seen from theabove, the application software provides an easy and user friendly dataflow for the technician in order to service the trouble report of thecustomer using the personal hand-held computer 16.

Referring back to FIG. 3, if the technician selects another supportsystem such as DATU, then the application software operating on thepersonal computer 16 provides the technician with DATU line conditionsas shown in FIG. 10. The application software fully integrates the DATUfunctions with any trouble report information, for example, phone numberand translation into DATU phone number. As shown in FIG. 10, thetechnician need only select the proper DATU function such as ringground, tip ground, tip-ring short-to-ground, full level tone, openline, etc. The application software on the personal hand-held computer16 instructs the DATU system to perform the necessary tests transparentto the technician.

Again referring back to FIG. 3, if the technician selects the mechanizedloop test (MLT) function, then the application software operates todisplay the test options as shown in FIG. 11. These options include afull test, quick test with drop, and a loop test with drop. Theapplication software operates to integrate the trouble reportinformation with the selected test requests in accordance with FIG. 11.For example, if the full test is selected, then the application softwareoperates to prompt the technician to select either the craft results,i.e., the vehicle results, or the mechanized loop test results as shownin FIG. 12. If the craft results are selected, then the applicationsoftware displays the results as shown, for example, in FIG. 13.Alternatively, the MLT results are shown in FIG. 14 for example.

Again referring back to FIG. 3, if the display time sheet function 68 isselected, then the application software operates to display the timesheet as shown in FIG. 15. The time sheet automatically functions tocollect the data from the trouble report orders.

As can be seen by the above examples, the application software providesa user friendly graphics interface allowing the technician to performall sorts of testing and diagnostic functions on the line under test.This allows the telecommunication companies to use a lower skilled workforce without the need for extensive training. The personal hand-heldcomputer 16 is capable of receiving and interpretating dispatchinformation into a set of automated sequences that can solve a troublereport in the most economical manner possible.

The personal hand-held computer 16 also allows the technician's vehicleto interact with all existing operational support systems as well asproviding a platform for future information exchange.

Although the invention has been described and illustrated in detail, itis to be clearly understood that the same is by way of illustration andexample, and is not to be taken by way of limitation. The spirit andscope of the present invention are to be limited only by the terms ofthe appended claims.

What is claimed is:
 1. A telecommunication test system for a line to betested, comprising:a test measurement device coupling with said line,said test measurement device determining parameter measurement data fromsaid line; a processor which receives said parameter measurement data; afirst communication path between said test measurement device and saidprocessor for transmitting said parameter measurement data, said firstcommunication path being a wireless path; a mobile facilitycommunicating with said processor, said communications being via asecond communication path which includes a primary wireless path and aback-up wireline path; a central office and a data test center forplacing various signals on said line being tested; and a thirdcommunication path between said mobile facility and at least one of saidcentral office and said data test center, said third communication pathincluding a primary wireless path and a back-up wireline path.
 2. Asystem according to claim 1, wherein said test measurement device is aportable test measurement device.
 3. A system according to claim 2,wherein said processor is a hand-held personal computer, said hand-heldpersonal computer providing increased mobility for a technicianperforming a test of said line.
 4. A system according to claim 3,wherein said primary wireless path is a spread spectrum transmissionpath.
 5. A system according to claim 3, wherein said primary wirelesspath is an infrared type of transmission.
 6. A system according to claim2, wherein said hand-held personal computer processes said parametermeasurement data into usable parameter information, and transmits saidusable parameter information to said central office and said data testcenter via said mobile facility.
 7. A system according to claim 6,wherein said central office comprises:a line conditioning device fordialing said line under test and placing said various test signals onsaid line.
 8. A system according to claim 1, wherein said mobilefacility includes:a network server providing additional processing powerfor said processor; an interface providing a short-haul wireless gatewayto long-haul wireless services; a charge holder; and a printer.
 9. Atest system for a communication link to be tested comprising:a dataacquisition device arranged to coupled to and derive parametermeasurement data from said communication link; a portable communicationand processing unit, which is coupled to said data acquisition devicevia a communication path having wireless transmission capability, andreceives and processes said parameter measurement data from said dataacquisition device; and a central office for placing various testsignals on said communication link being tested, and a furthercommunication path between said portable communication and processingunit and said central office, said further communication path havingwireless communication capability.
 10. A system according to claim 9,wherein said line conditioning device comprises a direct access testunit.
 11. A system according to claim 10, wherein said portablecommunication and processing unit is operative to process said parametermeasurement data into usable parameter information, and to transmit saidusable parameter information to said central office via said furthercommunication path.
 12. A system according to claim 9, wherein saidcentral office includes a line conditioning device for dialing saidcommunication link under test and placing said various test signals onsaid communication link.
 13. A test system for a communication link tobe tested comprising:a data acquisition device arranged to coupled toand derive parameter measurement data from said communication link; anda portable communication and processing unit, which is coupled to saiddata acquisition device via a communication path having wirelesstransmission capability, and receives and processes said parametermeasurement data from said data acquisition device; and wherein saidportable communication and processing unit is operative to communicatewith a test system of a telephone facility and with said dataacquisition device, and wherein said portable communication andprocessing unit has an input/output device, including a visual display,through which information associated with the operation of said testsystem is presented to a user.
 14. A test system for a communicationlink to be tested comprising:a data acquisition device arranged tocoupled to and derive parameter measurement data from said communicationlink; a portable communication and processing unit, which is coupled tosaid data acquisition device via a communication path having wirelesstransmission capability, and receives and processes said parametermeasurement data from said data acquisition device; and a data center,and a further communication path between said portable communication andprocessing unit and said data center, said further communication pathhaving wireless communication capability.
 15. A test system for acommunication link to be tested comprising:a data acquisition devicearranged to coupled to and derive parameter measurement data from saidcommunication link; a portable communication and processing unit, whichis coupled to said data acquisition device via a communication pathhaving wireless transmission capability, and receives and processes saidparameter measurement data from said data acquisition device; and amobile facility having an auxiliary wireless communication path withsaid portable communication and processing unit, and wherein said mobilefacility is coupled in communication with said central office via one ofa primary wireless path and a back-up wireline path.
 16. A systemaccording to claim 15, wherein said portable communication andprocessing unit is operative to process said parameter measurement datainto usable parameter information, and to transmit said usable parameterinformation to said central office via said mobile facility.
 17. Atelecommunication test system for a subscriber line of a telephonenetwork to be tested comprising:a test measurement device arranged tocoupled to said subscriber line, and being operative to derive parametermeasurement data from said subscriber line; a portable communication andprocessing unit, through the operation of which testing of saidsubscriber line may be conducted by means of a test system of atelephone facility, said test system being operative to respond tosignals supplied over said communication path from said portablecommunication and processing unit and to supply messages to saidportable communication and processing unit for providing information forcontrolling the operation of said test measurement device, said portablecommunication and processing unit having the capability of conductingcommunications with through a wireless communication path with said testmeasurement device, wherein said portable communication and processingunit is operative to communicate with said test system of said telephonefacility and with said test measurement device, and wherein saidportable communication and processing unit has an input/output device,including a visual display, through which information associated withthe operation of said test system is presented to a user; and a mobilecommunication and signal processing facility, separate from saidportable communication and processing unit and said telephone facility,through which a first auxiliary wireless communication path may beestablished with said portable communication and processing unit, andthrough which a second auxiliary wireless communication path may beestablished with said telephone facility.
 18. A system according toclaim 17 wherein said auxiliary communication and signal processingfacility comprises a vehicle-supported communication and signalprocessing subsystem.